Pain and Gain - Movie Reviews

[BIG ACH]

I saw it today - really enjoyed it!


Its funny, sad, dark, twisted, crazy, all mixed into one!

[Red29]

you must be kidding, "nothing to do with bodybuilding"?  what do you think bodybuilding is, donning a thong and stepping on stage?  

it's about wanting to make yourself into something more than you are, which is EXACTLY what the movie was about -- no retarded pretense of "aesthetics pleasures" or "thrilling competitions" to be seen.  relegating the "random sets" and "gear pinning" to the background is the only way a real movie about bodybuilding can be made...  the delusion has to come crashing down at some point, and the only way to show this is to keep the camera rolling outside of the gym.

lol i train cus i wanna look great. not cus i wanna make something out of myself based on how i look. im not dumb enough to believe thats realistically possible

this movie just makes the stigma around AAS using gym rats even worse. its pathetic. the only reason you identified with it is cus the characters work out just like you do. lots of movies out there about elevating yourself bro

[cephissus]

lol i train cus i wanna look great. not cus i wanna make something out of myself based on how i look. im not dumb enough to believe thats realistically possible

and why do you want to look great?  and why does a trained physique look great?  because it looks capable -- powerful.  but bodybuilders aren't capable of much, which is why they rely so heavily on illusion (or delusion, rather).

this movie just makes the stigma around AAS using gym rats even worse. its pathetic.

nothing pathetic about that.  contrarily, very honorable work.

the only reason you identified with it is cus the characters work out just like you do. lots of movies out there about elevating yourself bro

no, i "identified with it" because it further drags the "bodybuilding ideal" through the mud.

[Red29]

and why do you want to look great?  and why does a trained physique look great?  because it looks capable -- powerful.  but bodybuilders aren't capable of much, which is why they rely so heavily on illusion (or delusion, rather).

nothing pathetic about that.  contrarily, very honorable work.

no, i "identified with it" because it further drags the "bodybuilding ideal" through the mud.

really? i would have preferred it to make the bodybuilders look capable and intelligent. you realise this only hurts bodybuilding yes?

i woulnt call my self a bodybuilder personally, but im after the full package. im not compensating for anything. i want to be intelligent and capable, and look the part too. plus theres nothing better than getting a huge pump and walking around the gym looking awesome! satisfy those lower needs, and the higher ones too such as success in life.

really dude the movie just makes bodybuilders look bad. the event itself wasn't even an interesting crime to be frank, and the way it was portrayed was not that interesting. it was trying to be dark, serious, and humorous at the same time but failed in all of these aspects. it was confusing as to what kind of movie it was supposed to be..

[arce1988]

  Made all of bb look totally retarded.

[Red29]

  Made all of bb look totally retarded.

thank you.

[cephissus]

really? i would have preferred it to make the bodybuilders look capable and intelligent. you realise this only hurts bodybuilding yes?

yes!

i woulnt call my self a bodybuilder personally,

hmm, i wonder why not?

but im after the full package. im not compensating for anything.

i want to be intelligent and capable, and look the part too.

assuming you are intelligent and capable, you do look the part.

plus theres nothing better than getting a huge pump and walking around the gym looking awesome! satisfy those lower needs, and the higher ones too such as success in life.

lol... nothing better huh.  i wonder how jones felt last night after kicking chael's ass.  i'm sure he wishes he was out getting a pump instead, building up those twig legs of his.

really dude the movie just makes bodybuilders look bad. the event itself wasn't even an interesting crime to be frank, and the way it was portrayed was not that interesting. it was trying to be dark, serious, and humorous at the same time but failed in all of these aspects. it was confusing as to what kind of movie it was supposed to be..

bay finally makes an evenhanded film, devoid of moral force-feeding -- which is exactly what everyone claims to crave -- and suddenly everyone feels compelled to INSERT themselves and bitch that "it wasn't dark enough!", "this wasn't a clear cut satire!", "the focus is muddled!"  the same thing happened to natural born killers, and fight club, and now pain and gain.

[Seven Copper Coins]

yes!

hmm, i wonder why not?

assuming you are intelligent and capable, you do look the part.

lol... nothing better huh.  i wonder how jones felt last night after kicking chael's ass.  i'm sure he wishes he was out getting a pump instead, building up those twig legs of his.

bay finally makes an evenhanded film, devoid of moral force-feeding -- which is exactly what everyone claims to crave -- and suddenly everyone feels compelled to INSERT themselves and bitch that "it wasn't dark enough!", "this wasn't a clear cut satire!", "the focus is muddled!"  the same thing happened to natural born killers, and fight club, and now pain and gain.

Really? Cuz that's what's keeping me from seeing it. Bay films people taking a shit and it's in slo-mo with their hair blowing in the wind....I hate his films.

[arce1988]

Bay films people taking a shit and it's in slo-mo with their hair blowing in the wind....I hate his films.


I just spit out my drink!   

[michael arvilla]

Saw it friday night...was great!

[cephissus]

Really? Cuz that's what's keeping me from seeing it. Bay films people taking a shit and it's in slo-mo with their hair blowing in the wind....I hate his films.

i don't particularly think bay is a bad director (mediocre in many respects? i guess, i'm not really a film critic), and found the transformers movies at least watchable, if not thrilling.  pain and gain is significantly better, imo.  bodybuilding aside, a lot of the pseudo-intellectual bay hating film critics flung shit at this one unnecessarily -- it's a competently made movie, and yeah there are minor complaints, but here's the main criticisms i gleaned from skimming several reviews:

1.  Bay glorifies the criminal bodybuilders and vilifies the victim.  Bullshit.  Utter bullshit.  Not that I give a single shit about petty moralizing complaints like this, but this criticism isn't even remotely defensible.
2.  Bay dumbed down / in some way adulterated the "true story".  I couldn't care less.  Until someone gets off their ass and actually films a "truer" version of the story, and it turns out to be better than Pain and Gain, I don't see how this is relevant in the slightest.  It's not like the legions of people making this critique were in some substantial way involved in the "actual events" anyway.
3.  Bay makes light of such "serious" subject matter.  Again, WHO GIVES A SHIT?  When did everyone turn into such a complete fucking pussy?  Bay gets panned again and again for being the posterboy for over-produced, "hollywood safe" big-budget schlock, tries something different, and now the morality brigade is on his ass?  Oh brother!

Notice these complaints are made on moral grounds, and have pretty much nothing in common with the usual storytelling or otherwise "film making"-related criticisms that have been leveled at Bay for the transformers movies?  It's because Pain and Gain is pretty well-made and entertaining, and they can't find anything substantial to bitch about!

[Master Blaster]

Good review, broseph. I will definitely check it out.

[Kahn.N.Singh]

really? i would have preferred it to make the bodybuilders look capable and intelligent. you realise this only hurts bodybuilding yes? .... really dude the movie just makes bodybuilders look bad.

I'd love for BB not to look bad or unintelligent. But when BB.com, Flexonline, and npcnews show that they don't know the meaning of a simple word like 'anniversary,' I wouldn't keep my hopes up too high.

[funk51]

worth seeing if only for the fine acting of tony shitlube and old ed harris. rock is in great condition. wahlbug is his usual annoying self. overall c plus.

[the trainer]

I got the bluray yesterday and finally watched the movie, man that is some crazy shit, what a bunch of dumb bodybuilders I cannot believe that actually happen in real life.

[BRO]

Good how they put the "yes this is still a true story" part in the middle, otherwise it was seeming too far fetched.

[Pet shop boys]

Just watched.....   

1- The Steroids make you impotent? Ok that's the stereotype of  bodybuilders ....

2 - But then when the guy is able to be fully erected the chubby chicks says " Its less than what I'm used to ...but what a heck"!

3- At the end...During  trial the wife says that he was a bodybuilder to compensate his small penis" ... 

 So according to this movie, not only bodybuilders are dumb selfish and all they think is about their "pectoral muscles" but they also have a small dick that won't go hard because of steroids......

I think they should of focused more on the characters rather than all this bodybuilding myths .....




WoooSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[cswol]

Who would even watch this bullshit marks mark a bodybuilder, the Rock a bodybuilder, just a couple of Hollywood homos playing jabronees!

[jude2]

Who would even watch this bullshit marks mark a bodybuilder, the Rock a bodybuilder, just a couple of Hollywood homos playing jabronees!

You think Pro BB would act better in this role?

[Pet shop boys]

Who would even watch this bullshit marks mark a bodybuilder, the Rock a bodybuilder, just a couple of Hollywood homos playing jabronees!

Sadly it was number one movie in US ...

So yes, another reason to hate bodybuilders or have no sympathy/respect for them (a la Planet fitness) commercials style.......



WoooSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HH

[cswol]

Hollywood is all smoke and mirrors these celebrities are the biggest jokes around

[cswol]

The rock says he's never took steroids in his life that he bought some fake ones once he's a class A homo

[The Showstoppa]

The rock says he's never took steroids in his life that he bought some fake ones once he's a class A homo

I guess the gyno surgery was a work?   

[cswol]

Gyno surgery why would he need Gyno surgery ohh let me guess he was trying to slim down for his roles wearing dresses since he's never took any androgens that would bring the onset of gynocamastia!

[The Showstoppa]

Gyno surgery why would he need Gyno surgery ohh let me guess he was trying to slim down for his roles wearing dresses since he's never took any androgens that would bring the onset of gynocamastia!

He had it back in his. WWF days.   He is so full of shit.  He most likely juiced all the way back to his Miami days.